Wills & Estate Planning For Canadians For Dummies walks you through the steps of planning your estate. This friendly guide will help you Reduce the tax you or your estate will pay Plan for your children's future Leave a charitable legacy Decipher the legal lingo in wills Prepare a living will to ensure you get the treatment you want Hire an estate planning team that will meet your needs Through practical advice from expert authors, this book helps you ensure that your affairs are in order, and your loved ones will be looked after.

Wills & Estate Planning For Canadians For Dummies walks you through the steps of planning your estate. This friendly guide will help you* Reduce the tax you or your estate will pay* Plan for your children's future* Leave a charitable legacy* Decipher the legal lingo in wills* Prepare a living will to ensure you get the treatment you want* Hire an estate planning team that will meet your needsThrough practical advice from expert authors, this book helps you ensure that your affairs are in order, and your loved ones will be looked after.

Introduction 1Part I: Estate Planning Basics 5Chapter 1: What Is Estate Planning, Anyway? 7Chapter 2: What Are You Worth? Preparing an Inventory of Your Estate 17Chapter 3: The Taxman Cometh: Taxes and Your Estate 23Part II: Estate Planning Tools 53Chapter 4: Money to Die For: The Mysteries of Life Insurance Revealed 55Chapter 5: Free to a Good Home: Giving Away Your Things Before You Die 81Chapter 6: Pass the Buck: Using Trusts in Estate Planning 93Part III: Creating an Estate Plan 113Chapter 7: A Crew for Your Ship of Estate: Beneficiaries and Executor 115Chapter 8: Who's Minding the Kids? Planning Your Children's Future 129Chapter 9: Giving Them the Business: What to Do with the Family Firm 143Chapter 10: You Gave at the Office, But : Charitable Donations 159Chapter 11: Goodbye to All That: Plan Your Funeral and Organ Donation 177Part IV: Putting Your Plan into Action 195Chapter 12: If There's No Will There's No Way: Why You Need a Will 197Chapter 13: Will Power 209Chapter 14: Powers of Attorney: Who'll Manage Your Money for You if You Can't? 239Chapter 15: Living Wills: Caring for You if You Can't Care for Yourself 255Chapter 16: Getting Professional Help 269Part V: Readying Your Estate and Keeping It Up to Date 289Chapter 17: Don't Leave a Mess Behind: Putting Your Affairs in Order 291Chapter 18: It's Even Better the Second Time Around: Updating Your Estate Plan 303Part VI: The Part of Tens 319Chapter 19: Ten Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Lawyer 321Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Using Your Computer for Estate Planning 325Appendix A: Prepare to Meet Your Lawyer 329Appendix B: Instructions for Your Executor 339Appendix C: Inventory for Your Executor 345Index 349